ActionAid condemns ‘attack’ on civil societies

ActionAid Nigeria has condemned the recent interference on civil society organizations by the Department of State Services (DSS) following the arbitrary arrest of Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) President Joe Ajaero and the unannounced visit of SERAP’s office.

They maintained that despite the DSS’s claim that the recent incident at SERAP’s office was misconstrued as harassment and intimidation, ActionAid Nigeria said it views it a clear attempt to suppress the voices of Nigerians advocating for fair treatment and relief from economic hardship.

ActionAid in a statement signed by its Country Director Andrew Mamedu said the DSS must provide a clear explanation for the arrest and subsequent release of the NLC President and the legal grounds and evidence supporting this arrest.

He said anything less would be a blatant violation of Nigerian human rights, a clear assault on democratic freedoms, and an intentional strategy to instill fear in the hearts of many Nigerians.

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He said “We will not tolerate a return to the era of military-style repression, where security agencies operated above the law and citizens lived in fear of speaking out.

“ActionAid Nigeria and the Nigerian citizens demand better from the government and its agencies. We expect transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights.”

They noted that in an ideal society, the Nigerian Police, not the DSS, should handle the arrests and inspections.

They said, “ActionAid Nigeria will continue to mobilize and demand justice for all Nigerians whose rights are being violated according to the terms of the Nigerian Constitution.”